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The Ocean’s Role in the Carbon Cycle in Relation to Increased Atmospheric CO 2

The Ocean’s Role in the Carbon Cycle in Relation to Increased Atmospheric CO 2. Paul Loikith. CO 2 and the Ocean. The ocean is both a source and sink for carbon dioxide With increasing CO 2 concentrations, there is more dissolved inorganic carbon in the ocean

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The Ocean’s Role in the Carbon Cycle in Relation to Increased Atmospheric CO 2

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  1. The Ocean’s Role in the Carbon Cycle in Relation to Increased Atmospheric CO2 Paul Loikith

  2. CO2 and the Ocean • The ocean is both a source and sink for carbon dioxide • With increasing CO2 concentrations, there is more dissolved inorganic carbon in the ocean • Ocean becomes more acidic with increasing dissolved carbon dioxide

  3. CO2 and the Ocean • Before industrial era, ocean controlled CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere • DIC concentrations are 50 times higher in the oceans than the atmosphere • Rates of absorption are highest in cold/saline water with overturning

  4. CO2 and pH IPCC Working Group I (2007)

  5. Increasing DIC • 118 +- 19 GtC increase between pre-industrial times and 1994 of DIC in oceans • Ocean is a sink for approx. 30-50% of atmospheric anthropogenic CO2

  6. Consequences of Global Warming on CO2 and Oceans • Stratified oceans have decreased intake of CO2 • Warming world, less DIC uptake in oceans • Decreasing pH of oceans • Changing densities of Southern Oceans – less uptake • Changes in overturning and THC – changes in uptake

  7. Conclusions • Increasing atmospheric CO2 will lead to increasing concentrations in ocean • Lower pH will result, biological consequences • Changes in ocean circulations could decrease rate of intake of carbon, even more in atmosphere (positive feedback)

  8. Sources • Caldeira, K., P. B. Duffy, 2000: The Role of the Southern Ocean in Uptake and Storage of Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide. Science, 287, 620-622. • Falkowski, P., et al., 2000: The Global Carbon Cycle: The Test of Our Knowledge of Earth as a System. Science, 290, 291-296. • IPCC Report. Working Group 1. Chapter 5 2007.

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